Politics
Enugu’s Double Portion Question: …Crawled-by-night…flight-by-day
By Igbonekwu Ogazimorah
Equity, like nature, abhors Double Portion.
Double Portion actually means having more than fair share, especially when some have not had any at all. For instance, in power sharing in Enugu State, Chimaroke Nnamani represented the share of the Nkanu people (Enugu East), on the throne of Lion Building. Sullivan Chime was for the Enugu West Zone, while Gburugburu Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi is closing the circle as the holder of the mantle on behalf of the Nsukka Zone (Enugu North). If any of the Senatorial Zones had held the position more than once, whereas one has not held at all, it would have amounted to “double portion”, which is capable of igniting conflicts.
But, so far, it has been such seamless and impressive cycle of sharing.
Testamentary laws, especially in the Commonwealth, frown at Double Portion. “You cannot get more than your fair share…” In most of Igbo societies, “Double Portion” was the reason some wars were fought, villages sacked, territories seized and heads rolled. Hmmmmm, “heads will roll.”
Back then, in the early 1990s, the then Governor Okwy Nwodo of old Enugu State had devised what he called the Triangular Equilibrium. He said that the then old Enugu State should be construed to mean a political tripod made of the Abakaliki Senatorial Zone, the Nsukka Senatorial Zone and the Enugu Senatorial Zone. Although it was an age of innocence, it was curious making out what Nwodo actually planned with his tripod theory. His tenure was cut short, as Sani Abacha kicked out all the governors from office in 1993
On creation of Ebonyi State, which took away Abakaliki, a third of the tripod, Enugu was not going to be left with only two legs if it must have the required number of senators and senatorial zones as provided for, in the Constitution of the Federal Republic.
So, Enugu soon returned to three-zonal structure: Enugu West senatorial zone, Enugu East senatorial zone and Enugu North senatorial zone.
Hard core political strikers of the Enugu North (Nsukka Zone) were not happy. To them, it was unjust to split the old Enugu Zone into two senatorial zones while Enugu North remained one. But the old Enugu zone had 11 local government areas whereas the Enugu North (Nsukka) had six. In any case, Enugu was not offered more than three Senatorial Seats/zones.
The people of Enugu East and Enugu West, aware that this is a matter of federal jurisdiction, it would amount to waste of time to discuss it. So, having been settled in law and fact that Enugu State is made of three geopolitical/senatorial zones, the political leaders of Enugu North (Nsukka) ought to understand. No, they want some amendments, even if it is internal to Enugu State.
An outgoing Senator, Chuka Utazi gave a punching hint last year. “…power sharing in Enugu State should be between Nsukka (Enugu North) and old Enugu (Enugu East and Enugu West).”
16-for-16 Agenda
One character among men, long on the stage, short on derivable, gave this analysis on the attached video clip. “The governorship of Sullivan Chime, whose deputy was an Nkanu man (Enugu East), meant total exclusion of the Nsukka people from the Lion Building, for eight years… the eight years each of Chimaroke Nnamani and Sullivan Chime must be seen and accepted as 16 years for one zone – the old Enugu Zone.” He argues further, the eight years of Governor Ugwuanyi must be added with another eight years of a fresh governor from the North (Nsukka), to bring it to 16 years, so that Nsukka would have as much as old Enugu has had”.
To him, fairness can only mean, 16-years-of-Nsukka-for-16-years-of-Enugu.
Mid way, he appears to reaslise how unrealistic he is getting.
He continues, “let the governorship go to Isi Uzo. Thank God, our Nsukka brothers in Isi Uzo are in Enugu East Zone…we will use them to get our full share. Governor Ugwuanyi must make an Isi Uzo man the governorship candidate of the PDP. If an Isi Uzo man becomes the governor, with an Enugu North (Nsukka) man as the deputy governor, then we have revenged what Nnamani did to the Nsukka people.”
The crowd roared in approval. I was surprised (Video clip attached).
Of course, many did not think seriously of any of these. The zones are clearly stated in law and in fact, and such ‘atilogu’ dances over what is clear did not interest most.
But they are mistaken. These guys are dead serious. They have even taken it to the Obi-Dient Movement, using Labour Party to pretend to be part of the ongoing socio-political reengineering riding the wave of the Obi-Dient Movement across the globe.
Boom, came the now withdrawn war threat of Senator-Elect, Okey Ezea. “It is war between Nsukka and Nkanu,” he thundered at a rally.
Ordinarily, Ezea is an urbane gentleman, not given to threatening wars. He never really liked to ruffle feathers, much as he had been in pursuit of political office for a long time. A generous and down to earth gentleman, who preferred to power himself to personal fortune through a dint of hard work and long held connections in the maritime industry. He outburst was a surprise to many.
Any way, he has since retracted.
Divide and Rule
Last year, the report started trickling in that there had been sneaky, crawled-by-night moves to excavate some fast fading primordial social boundaries and imaginary cultural lines in Enugu East and Enugu West. The target of the Labour Party was to find a footing in any form of division among the Nkanus, so that their bid for power would hold some water. Most of the elites ignored it, now to their chagrin.
At the same time, every effort was being made to hold on to Isi Uzo as an Nsukka territory which chances at governorship would translate to such as extended to the Enugu North. The rest we know, as they have not yet said, are not yet history. If you know, you know!
I have had causes to investigate the ethno-historical origin of the major community clusters that make up Isi Uzo. My searches always point in one direction: the Nkanu, Nkale, Nkali, Nkere assemblages in history, are all founded on an erstwhile Izzi/Ezza dispersals. Then I saw the Okwoga administrative records and who was included. Nsukka was of the Okwoga Division. Isi Uzo was not. The Abakaliki Divisional records give all you need to know about the Nkali, Nkanu, etc, heritages. But the Enugu records, housing Eha Amufu as part of the Nikes (Like) of Enugu repeatedly in 1912, 1928 and 1939, would have settled it.
But of course, people become who they chose to become. It hardly matters here.
What matters at moment is the carefully designed program to turn the agenda of these crawled-by-night seekers into an Obi-Dient program. It could not have been an Odi-Dient thing. It is even incapable of disguising as a Labour Party agenda.
It is an agenda of the Crawled-by-night 16-for-16 seekers.
Ugwuanyi must fall
They are seasoned politicians, with the knack for smart electioneering strategies. This strategy is simple. “Make the 16-for-16 agenda one of the desires to rupture the political system, feed this to the rest of Enugu youths, and create a movement which shall ride the crest of the Obi-Dient Movement.
“And, for not supporting this 16-for-16 Agenda, Governor Ugwuanyi must fall. His elective political career must be momentarily brought to a halt.”(Not their exact words).
It was astonishing, listening to the carefree lawyer who rattled, on the premises of the High Court. He could scarcely mask his rage.
First of all, let us understand why the Nsukka people appear to be so resentful of Governor Ugwuanyi, to the extent that they started with an armed struggle which lasted over six months, then followed it with this inexplicable embarrassment at the polls.
Did Governor Ugwuanyi actually fail his people of Enugu North (Nsukka)? Are his in-house media handlers to blame? Did he apply the wrong media strategy?
One Lagos based editor said that his media handlers are to blame. “They are as guilty as charged. They think that executive office media management is limited to handing over fat brown envelopes and turning back the journalists.”
When reminded that Ugwuanyi never really liked live media interactions, as was revealed, he quipped, “So, his projects also disliked media exposure?”
An analytical young friend, Ugochukwu Mba, argues, “Ugwuanyi was not pounded by his Nsukka brothers for not performing. Gburugburu performed, and greatly too, in favour of Nsukka people. He gave them everything. Just take a look at his appointments in almost every office in Enugu State. Gburugburu gave it all to his people. In most of the ministries, his people are lined up from Commissioner down to the clerks. 90 percent of the parastatals are headed by Nsukka people. The same goes for academic institutions. Look at the newly created Housing Estates and the allocation of lands that came with them. The NTA Estate, WTC Estate, Diamond Estate, Greater Enugu, etc. Nsukka people took over 80 per cent of the allocations. Some of the structures were personally erected by the governor and given to his Nsukka people. Look at the brand new university at Igbo Ano. When the Federal Government established a Federal Polytechnic, it was at Nsukka. Go to Nsukka and see the renewal of Nsukka Urban, among other edifying projects.”
So, why the hatred and eventual rejection?
“My Oga, the problem is that Gburugburu is not part of the sit-tight agenda of those Nsukka irredentists.”
Wow!
But how would a governor perform so well for his people, but got so rudely unrequited? “His people want all for now, and since he is not part of that agenda, he must be cut down.”
I was speechless. Indeed, the three new giant structures the governor erected in the headquarters of the Ministry of Justice, he named after three Nsukka jurists. So, how else can the man appease his people? Are they such ingrates?
According to the young man, what irritates most was that whereas the young Nsukka are playing the 16-for-16 Agenda, using the now fiery Obi-Dient activism, the youths of Enugu East and Enugu West (the actual Odi-Dients), are playing woke (political correctness) with the same Obi-dient Movement.” So, they are being duped.
Crawled-by-night…flight-by-day
I have been thinking long and hard about the power possibilities of an emergent crawl by night irredentists and Flight-by-day Obi-Dients. Whereas the genuine Obi-Dients are genuine, the others, schooled in masking their intensions, are garbed of the present political tour de force, just as had been the case in history of revolutions. During the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia, there were persons captured by writers as “Monarchists at night, Bolsheviks in the day.” Of course, many Monarchists escaped the massacre and became parts of the new Communist Bolsheviks Order. Deep State actors are usually trained to function that way.
My friend had initially planned to work with the Labour Party as these contests unfolded. Like yours truly, he is an ardent supporter of the national Obi-Dient Movement. But having studied the regimes of opportunism of so called political “niche carvers,” I warned him and invited him to seek further clarifications with older players.
The attempt to resurrect the dying primordial sentiment in Nkanu, as the Labour Party desperately sought a foothold in Enugu East zone was quite nauseating to me. The ongoing offers, deals and percolations, all in the attempt to split the West, are crass opportunism. I told him, too.
These were also pointed out to us soon after we met a retired old war horse. He shook his head as he laughed at my friend: “So, you want to be a part of those who are exploiting the old anger and division in Nkanu land? You will be finished. You want to be part of those trying to bring back what everybody is working hard to forget? Try it. My dear, flee from those people. Flee from any man who capitalises on your disagreement with your wife to try to ‘do it’ with her”
We know. Backdoor channels are always possible in pursuit of most objectives in life. Many who have no understanding of the mechanics of spontaneous social changes may not even appreciate the national political current beating the shores. It is like a powerful storm, and it offers room for opportunism.
In the present case, in Enugu State, it already seems hijacked by this 16-for-16 Movement. They swear that they have never heard of Ebeano; they have all been angels; they are whiter than snows; and they are not of the old order. But in truth, they are the “crawled-by-night” as 16-for16 irredentists and Flight-by-day as Obi-Dients.
They have adorned the fashion in town – Obi-Dient Movement. The rest are clapping!
Shine your eyes!
Ogazimorah, one time Commissioner for Information Strategies, Culture and Tourism in Enugu State, is a Public Affairs Analyst and an Attorney at Law.
The Ebonyi State Government has effectively restricted political campaigns and gatherings in Ezza South Local Government Area, directing political parties and groups to obtain prior approval from the council chairman before holding such events.
The directive, issued by the Chairman of Ezza South Local Government Area, Hon. Chinedu Mkpuma, follows a recent security breach in Amaezekwe community amid growing concerns over political violence ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a statement made available to journalists in Abakaliki, Mkpuma expressed dismay over the security situation and said the measure was necessary to protect lives and property, maintain public order and prevent further security breaches.
He acknowledged the constitutional rights of citizens to freedom of association and peaceful assembly but warned that political gatherings in the local government area must henceforth receive prior approval from his office.
The chairman added that violations of the directive would attract appropriate action in accordance with the law.
Meanwhile, the Labour Party governorship candidate, Eze Oko, has condemned the reported killings and alleged attacks on opposition parties in the state, calling on political leaders to end violence and intimidation.
Oko questioned why opposition members were allegedly being targeted and urged youths to resist attempts by politicians to use them as instruments of violence.
He called for a level playing field for all political parties and candidates, insisting that political competition should be based on ideas, manifestos and records of performance rather than violence.
The LP candidate also cautioned political leaders against inflammatory statements capable of fuelling tension during the electioneering period.
He urged candidates seeking re-election to allow their achievements to speak for them instead of allegedly engaging political thugs to intimidate opponents.
Oko further appealed to youths to reject political thuggery and violence, while extending his condolences to the families of those reportedly killed in the incident.
The development comes as political activities begin to gather momentum ahead of the 2027 general elections, with renewed calls for security agencies to investigate reported attacks and ensure that all political parties can operate without intimidation.
The Minister of Works and former Governor of Ebonyi State, Senator David Umahi, has declared that 2027 is not the South-East’s turn to produce Nigeria’s president, insisting that former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, is not the region’s best presidential candidate.
Umahi, who made the declaration during an interview with ARISE News on Friday, defended South-East political leaders supporting President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid, maintaining that their political choices should not be interpreted as betrayal of the Igbo presidential ambition.
“Peter Obi is not the best of our finest in South East. He’s not the best, he can never be the best,” Umahi declared.
The minister faulted Obi’s approach to the 2023 presidential election, alleging that he failed to adequately consult governors and other influential political stakeholders in the South-East before pursuing his ambition.
“You cannot play politics in South East without consulting people like us,” he maintained.
According to Umahi, any presidential aspirant seeking to represent the collective aspirations of the region must first engage critical stakeholders and build the necessary political consensus.
He argued that Obi’s performance in the 2023 presidential election did not automatically make him the South-East’s most qualified presidential candidate, stressing that the region boasts several other capable political figures.
Umahi also questioned why Anambra State should be given preferential consideration whenever the opportunity arises for the South-East to produce Nigeria’s president.
Citing Nigeria’s first President, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, who hailed from the area now constituting Anambra State, the minister maintained that Ebonyi, Enugu, Abia and Imo states equally deserve consideration in future presidential arrangements.
On the growing support for Tinubu among South-East political leaders ahead of 2027, Umahi dismissed allegations that those backing the president had abandoned the region’s political interests.
He insisted that the South-East’s path to the presidency lies in strategic negotiations, consensus-building and alliances with other geopolitical zones rather than presenting loyalty to Obi as the ultimate test of commitment to the Igbo cause.
The former Ebonyi governor had earlier challenged comparisons between himself and Obi during a political engagement in Benin City in September, declaring that he saw no area in which the former Anambra governor was superior to him.
While expressing confidence that the South-East would eventually produce Nigeria’s president, Umahi maintained that the region’s opportunity had not yet arrived, insisting that “it is not yet our turn.”
Politics
2027: APGA, APC Set for Joint Meeting in Anambra to Mobilise Support for Tinubu’s Re-election
By Okey Maduforo, Awka
The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Anambra State have scheduled a joint meeting for November 1 to strengthen collaboration and mobilise support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.
The planned meeting comes amid claims that the two parties are not working together in the state to advance Tinubu’s second-term ambition.
The meeting, convened by Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, in his capacity as the state coordinator for Tinubu’s re-election campaign, is expected to bring together leaders and members of both parties, including serving and former political officeholders and members of their respective national and state working committees.
The APC State Chairman, Senator Emma Anosike, also confirmed the meeting, telling reporters that he would lead members of his party to attend the gathering.
The development is expected to counter claims of disunity between the two parties over the president’s re-election project in Anambra State.
According to an announcement dated October 22 and signed by Dr Ben Nwankwo, Chief of Staff to the Governor and Coordinator of the Secretariat for the Presidential Campaign Council in Anambra State, the meeting will take place at the International Convention Centre, Awka.
Proceedings are scheduled to begin at 1 p.m., while accreditation will commence at 10 a.m. Participants have been directed to arrive early, as the doors will be closed once the meeting begins.
Attendance is restricted to duly accredited invitees drawn from designated categories of political officeholders, party officials and other stakeholders who remain members of APGA or APC.
Those invited include serving and former governors and deputy governors of Anambra State; members of the national, zonal and state working committees of both parties; and serving and former members of the National and State Assemblies from the state.
All APGA and APC candidates for the 2027 general elections who are members of either party have also been invited.
Other participants expected at the meeting include serving and former political appointees in the state and federal governments, members of the PBAT/APC Presidential Campaign Council from Anambra State, as well as serving and former elected local government chairmen, mayors and transition committee chairmen affiliated with either party.
The invitation list also covers current and former members of the boards of trustees of APGA and APC from Anambra State, coordinators of Tinubu support groups, and serving local government chairmen, secretaries, women leaders and youth leaders of the two parties.
Elected councillors, ward chairmen of APGA and APC, as well as members of the state working committees of the Accord Party and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), are also listed among the invitees.
The announcement further stated that selected stakeholders nominated by the state chairmen of APGA and APC, alongside individuals nominated by the state coordinator of the Presidential Campaign Council, would attend the meeting.
It explained that the notice was intended to ensure that all eligible stakeholders were informed of the gathering, adding that anyone who falls within the specified categories would be deemed invited.
The joint meeting is expected to provide a platform for the two parties to coordinate their political activities in Anambra State ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Strengthen the headline and opening
Trim the lengthy invitation list
Make the report more neutral
…Unveils 17 Buses for Grassroots Mobilisation
…Expresses Confidence in Tinubu, Mbah’s Victory
Nigeria’s Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr. Kingsley Tochukwu Udeh, SAN, is set to unveil his grassroots mobilisation and political support group, As Tinubu and Mbah Move (ATM), ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The minister has also expressed confidence in the re-election of President Bola Tinubu and Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah.
Udeh disclosed this on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, during a strategy meeting at the group’s secretariat, where he unveiled 17 branded Toyota buses to support the movement’s grassroots mobilisation ahead of the elections.
Addressing members, the Senior Advocate of Nigeria urged them to work towards securing victory for the All Progressives Congress (APC), particularly in the presidential and governorship elections.
He said the buses were provided to facilitate mobilisation and strengthen the movement’s presence across communities, wards and polling units.
Expressing confidence in the electoral prospects of Tinubu and Mbah, Udeh said the movement must distinguish itself from political groups that generate publicity without translating their activities into electoral gains.
“I want this group to be different so that it will not end in noise-making. The aim is to make APC win from top to bottom, especially the President and the Governor,” he said.
He charged members to take responsibility for delivering their respective polling units and wards, stressing that grassroots engagement remained crucial to electoral success.
“Politics is local. Everybody should work to ensure that APC wins in their respective wards and polling units,” he added.
Udeh explained that ATM was established to provide members with a platform to connect with political leaders and contribute to the activities of the party.
According to him, active participation in grassroots mobilisation could also create opportunities for members to engage government officials and seek assistance in addressing challenges facing their communities.
The minister, who described himself as not being a career politician, said integrity and the fulfilment of commitments were central to his dealings with people.
He also pledged to spend more time in the South-East during the campaign period to coordinate the movement’s activities.
Earlier, the ATM Coordinator, Igboke Onyebuchi, said the meeting was convened to establish and ratify the movement’s structures ahead of the planned commencement of local government-level mobilisation in November.
Onyebuchi described ATM as a political movement rather than an ordinary group, explaining that some members were motivated by their desire to support Governor Mbah and acknowledge his role in Udeh’s ministerial appointment.
“We are doing this to support the governor for giving such a smart young person the opportunity to be a minister. This has not happened in recent times,” he said.
He explained that the movement comprised community mobilisers, union leaders and individuals from the civic space, many of whom were not career politicians but were willing to contribute to the political process.
According to him, ATM plans to adopt an innovative, community-based approach to mobilisation, focusing on reaching rural residents and strengthening the APC’s existing grassroots structures.
He added that a community map had been developed to guide the movement’s engagement with residents.
Onyebuchi thanked Udeh for providing members with a platform to participate in the political process, expressing hope that the movement would encourage greater political opportunities for young people with strong professional and intellectual backgrounds.
Politics
One Feared Dead, Several Injured as Thugs Attack Ebonyi NDC Assembly Candidate, Burn Campaign Vehicle
…Ebonyi Democratic Movement Blames Police Commissioner, Demands Immediate Redeployment
The campaign convoy of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate for Ezza South State Constituency in the Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Barr. Rollins Offia Nwali, has reportedly come under armed attack at two separate locations in Amaezekwe Community, Ezza South Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, leaving one person feared dead and several others injured.
The attackers, suspected to be political thugs, also reportedly set ablaze a 2024 Toyota Hilux vehicle belonging to the campaign convoy.
According to preliminary accounts, trouble began when Nwali, who was scheduled to meet with his polling unit canvassers, received information that some government officials allegedly accompanied by armed hoodlums had stormed the meeting venue.
The officials reportedly warned that they had received orders from above to prevent opposition candidates from holding campaign activities during the swearing-in ceremonies of local government chairmen in the state.
Sensing danger, Nwali reportedly directed his convoy to turn back a few metres from the venue.
However, suspected political thugs riding motorcycles and tricycles allegedly opened fire on the convoy, resulting in an exchange of gunfire involving security personnel, including operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) attached to the candidate.
About five persons reportedly sustained gunshot injuries, while one person was feared killed during the confrontation.
The casualty figures could not be independently verified.
In another attack a few metres away, a separate group of suspected hoodlums, reportedly operating in a Mercedes-Benz vehicle and tricycles, allegedly intercepted the retreating convoy, opened fire and set one of its Toyota Hilux vehicles ablaze.
A state government appointee was accused of leading the second group of attackers.
Reacting to the development, Chairman of the Ebonyi Democratic Movement, Chief Emmanuel Igwe Chidi, condemned the incident and accused the Ebonyi State Commissioner of Police of failing to address what he described as recurring political violence against opposition figures in the state.
Igwe alleged that the failure of the police to prosecute individuals previously implicated in electoral violence, despite several petitions submitted to the state command and the Inspector-General of Police, had emboldened suspected political thugs.
He recalled that the movement had earlier organised a nationwide protest over alleged persecution of opposition members and the deteriorating security situation in Ebonyi State.
The EBM chairman consequently called on the Inspector-General of Police to immediately redeploy the Ebonyi State Commissioner of Police, arguing that the measure had become necessary to restore public confidence in the neutrality of the police ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He also demanded a comprehensive investigation into the Amaezekwe attacks, insisting that all those found culpable must be identified and prosecuted irrespective of their political affiliations or positions in government.
Igwe further urged security agencies to guarantee adequate protection for opposition candidates and their supporters, stressing that no government official or political interest has the authority to prevent citizens from exercising their constitutional rights to political participation.
He warned that democracy would be endangered if political competition was allowed to degenerate into intimidation, gunfire and destruction of property rather than being determined through the ballot box.
The allegations against government officials and the police, as well as the circumstances surrounding the reported death, remain unverified. The accounts provided did not include responses from the Ebonyi State Government or the Police Command.
Separate reported facts from allegations
Tighten the casualty and attack sequence
Use a more legally cautious headline
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